Being a Missionary at Home
Henry Garlock and his wife Ruth were such God-loving, passionate people. I loved reading their story and I encourage you to also read it and find inspiration from their lives as I did.
It was 1985 when Henry died at the age of 87 after many years of faithful service. Ruth lived on her own until the age of 92 and her children used to fly her to and from California to visit the grandchildren.
Missionary Spirit Everywhere
And on one occasion John, their son, tells a story about how he took her to the one airport and got the services of someone to escort her by wheelchair to her gate while he went to park the car.
All he had to do was take her to the gate but John says when I came to rejoin her I saw that he was kneeling beside her wheelchair in tears as she had led him to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. It seemed she carried her missionary spirit wherever she went.
Now this just summed it up for me friends, because we read stories of you know going to cannibalistic tribes and doing wild and wonderful things for God and most of us aren't called to that. People like them were and they did it and there are people in today's world who are called to that and if that's you then go for it.
But I'm always amazed at how true missionaries will find a way to share the love of Jesus wherever they are. They don't have to go to the far-out tribes but right here wherever they are there's always much need to draw people to Christ.
Evangelical Call to Action
And here she was at 90 years old in a wheelchair leading some stranger to Christ. Oh wow! That sort of evangelical zeal and passion just blows me away. Just blows me away!
Jesus called us to go and make disciples, to go and share the good news so that others can come to Christ and find the joy we find in Him. Who can you share the gospel with today? Somebody that you know perhaps, somebody that you don't know, that you meet by chance today or in the days to come.
May I encourage us to keep our eyes open and then faithfully follow the promptings God places in our hearts to share his good news.
Maybe we can also lead many to faith in Jesus like the Garlocks did whether far away from home or just around the corner.
